Beyond the Black Rainbow is congeneric to a drug-induced journey of the mind. Panos Cosmatos' masterstroke is sui generis with its heavy use of red and its gloomy atmosphere. I was fascinated by the abstract and artistic style of this movie, it's far from the norm to its neighbors in the sci-fi genre. It borrows ideas and abstruse concepts from the bizarre of 80's, it's all very appealing and comes together nicely. The soundtrack is amazing and precisely fitting, it…

Wow. I know I've been handing out the 5 stars like candy recently, but... this film's bizarre visceral impact is undeniable. Whether that appeals to you is another thing. It definitely appeals to me.

I did have one quibble with the cinematography. I was surprised to find it had been shot on film, because it looked like digital trying to emulate film. It seemed like half of it was out of focus, enough for me to be convinced it was…

“Sharp and open leave me alone and sleeping less every night as the days become heavier and weighted, waiting in the cold light A noise, a scream tears my clothes as the figurines tighten with spiders inside them (…) I touched her eyes, pressed my stained face I will never be clean again ”

The Cure – The Figurehead

Beyond The Black Rainbow is absolutely remarkable as a manifestation of baroque and gothic aesthetic in film, rescuing from centuries ago…

The year is 1983; the place, Arboria, a commune offering a new approach to well-being, but harbouring something darker at its core. Barry Nyle (Michael Rogers) has been experimenting on Elena (Eva Allen) and seems to be opening up her latent telekinetic powers while keeping her heavily sedated. Nyle has a deep troubled history of his own, dating back to psychotropic drug experimentation in his youth and it becomes more apparent through the interaction with this new specimen. When I…

It's the John Maus album of '80s (and '70s and '60s) surreal and existential sci-fi/horror cinema. An idealized, laser-precise vision of our past, like a perfect NES emulator running Ninja Gaiden II the way you remember it in your most vivid dreams. It's your life flashing before your eyes, the camera cruising down the underground hallways of your memory. There are different types of derivation and homage, and this is my favorite.

This film has replaced 2001: A Space Odyssey, as my favorite film of all time. It is certainly not for everyone, and I will be the first to acknowledge that, but personally Beyond The Black Rainbow has everything I look for in a film. Great visuals, phenomenal soundtrack, convincing actors, compelling story and characters, well set tone, and beautiful cinematography.